Sheet-interfolding machine



G. G. BROWN AND P. A. SCHUCHART.

SHEET INTERFOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28, I916.

1,348,846. Patented Aug. 10, 19200 2 F7 2 SHEETSSHEET I. M

G G. BROWN AND P. A. SCHUCHART.

SHEET INTERFOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-28,1916. I

Patented Aug. 10, 1920 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

O IIIIII:

.UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

' '7 GOU'VERNEUR G. BROWN, OF NEW YORK, AND PAUL A. SCHUGHART, OFROCKVILLE cnm'na, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS r0 PAPER on NEW YORK.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

SERVICE COMPANY, A CORPORATION SHEET-INTERFOLDING MACHINE.

Patented Aug. 10, 1920.

Application filed September 28, 1916. Serial No. 122.591.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, Gonvnnnnun G. BROWN and PAUL A. SCHUOHART, citizensof the United States, residing at New York city, county of Kings, Stateof New York, and Rockville Center, county of .Queens, State of New York,respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSheet-Interfolding Machines, fully described and represented in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthe same.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet inter-folding machines.

The objection to such machines as heretofore known has been thedifliculty in obtaining a satisfactory product in commercially Isatisfactory quantities.

It is the object. of the present invention to provide a sheetinterfolding machine that effectively cuts, feeds and interfolds thesheets and operates at such a high rate of speed as to turn out asatisfactory product in larger quantities than has heretofore beenpossible, and, further, one that delivers these interfolded sheetscompressed and packed into a compact stack, thereby both improving theproduct and lowering the cost of production.

The following specification describes, and

. the accompanying drawings illustrate, a

preferred embodiment of the invention, it being understood that changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the partsvention.

' In the drawings Figure 1 is an end elevation of a sheet interfoldingmachine constructed in accordance with the present invention; Fig.- 2 isa cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig, 1, looking inthedirectionof the arrow,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing in detail a portion of Fig.2, and

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing one of the friction rollers. Y

The invention includes means for transversely creasing and cutting aplurality of webs in such a mannerthat the sheets so formed when broughttogether overlap with the crease of one series alining-with the. ad-

joining edges of'the sheets of the opposite without departing from thein-' series. This may be accomplished by vari ous constructions... Inthe form of the inwith this cylinder is a smaller cylinder 10 rotated inthe opposite direction by a shaft 11, the housing of which is alsosupported by the frame 9. The web feeds down between thesetwo cylindersto be cut and creased at their common tangential point. Carried by thelarge cylinder are four transversecreasing ribs 13 formed of suitablematerial and located on equally spaced radii which, as the cylindersrotate, enter transverse V-shaped recesses 14 formed in the smallcylinder and filled with rubber, to crease the web as it is fed. Thesmall cylinder also carries two cutting blades 12 located half waybetween the V-shaped recesses which enter cutting blocks '15 and locatedhalf way between the creasing ribs to cut the web, thereby formingsheets creased across the middle. There are four of these cutting blocksand four creasingribs on the large cylinder and two cutting blades andtwo creasing recesses on the small cylinder. The large cylinder rotatesonce for two revolutions of 'thesmaller one so that forevery revolutionof the large cylinder, four creased sheets are cut from the web. J

The invention includes means for placing the web, while being fed 'tothe cutters, under tension transversely as well as longitudinally, the;like. In constructions embodying the invention to the best advantage,this is at; tained by. means tending to pull the web from the middleoutwardly. "Such means is capable of a variety of constructions. In

the present embodiment the friction rolls 6 are wound with some yieldingmaterial, such as felt, in two opposite spirals startin at the middleand spiraling toward each en As a result of this construction, the webis pressed out flat and kept under transdown under a friction roll 60carried by the' large cylinder 80 in order to avoid wrinkling and 95verse tension, and at the same time the course of the webv is notinterfered with,

as the tensioning influence is equal toward each edge.

The invention includes means for coiiperating with the large cylinder tofeed the sheets as far around the cylinder as desired,

I as for example, the bottom point of its path. -While this may beaccomplished in various ways, in the exemplification shown, a pluralityof endless feeding chains 16 (three being illustrated) are driven in thesame direction as the cylinder and,'with the latter, feed the web endsand the sheets as they are received from the cutters. These chains passover grooved idlers 17 located not far from the cutting point and theyare held up against the cylinder by a second set of grooved idlers 18,as shown in Fig. 2.

Means are provided for coiiperating with arm 21 carrying a roller 22which travels over a cam 23. This cam is so designed that, just after aout has been made in the web, the arm 21 is operated to rock the shaft20 and throw out the fingers to coiiperate with the large cylinder infeeding the suc- .cessive web ends onward until they reach the chains16. As the small cylinder continues to rotate the cam causes the fingersto be withdrawn within the cylinder. In order to hold the web endsagainst the large cylinder, between the cutting point and the pointwhere the chains 16 take hold, in case the cam is not adjusted properly,and to prevent the web ends from following the withdrawing fingers dueto the possible pres- I ence of static electricity, there isprovided aplurality of stationary guides 24, under which the successive web endspass. order .to have the fingers operate atthe proper instant, in case,for example, the axis of the smaller cylinder is shiftedto accommodatedifferent thicknesses of paper,

the camis made adjustable. Extending out '-from the cam is a lug 25through which is threaded an arm 26 pivotally connected .to

the frame of the machine. Above and below the lug are nuts 27, and byunloosening these nuts to swin the arm 26 slightly, the cam position isa justed to retard or advance the actionof the fingers as desired.

Beyond the idlers 18 the feeding chains leave the large cylinder andpass over idlers 36 which direct the chains obliquely downward.Coiiperating with the chains 16 in a feeding the sheets onward, are aseries of supplemental chains 29 passing over upper grooved idlers 30and lower sprockets 31 driven as hereinafter described. The idlers 30are located just above the idlers 36, so that the latter act on bothsets of chains to change the direction of their common paths.

Means are provided for cofiperating with the chains 16 to feed thesheets from the time the cylinder leaves them until they reach thesupplemental chains 29, thereby to prevent floating. While this may beaccomplished by various constructions, that which is illustrated issimilar. to the mechanism already described, and comprises a pluralityof fingers 32 carried by a rock shaft 33 in the large cylinder, asuitable recess being provided therefor, the shaft having an arm 34carrying a roller which travels on a cam 35. As there are four sheetscut for 28 serve to hold the sheets against the chains 16 andto preventthe sheets from following the fingers when thelatter are withdrawn.

Below the sprockets 31 are stationary triangular guides 37, at thepoints of which the chains 16 pass over sprockets 38 carried bycross-shafts 45 and 70, respectively, and then pass upward to the idlers17, thus completing their cycle. Y

Means are provided for adjusting the tension of the chains 16 on theirupward inactive course. Although capable of various constructions, themeans illustrated include, for each chain, a tension pulley 39 suspendedby arm 40 from a rock shaft 41. Mounted on this shaft are arms 42 havingpivotal connection with rods 43 threaded through lugs 44 carriedon themain frame and locked in position by suitable nuts. By loosening thenuts and shifting the position of the rods 43, the tension pulleys 39are raised or lowered to loosen or tighten the chain.

.The mechanism for cutting, creasing and feeding the other web isprecisely similar to that above described, except for the relativeposition of, the cutting blades, creasers, I

seen that when the sheets are brought together at the point of thetriangular guides 37, they are overlapped, the adjoining ends of twosheets of one set being alined with the crease of the sheet of theopposite set.

The invention includes means for interfolding these overlapped sheetsand delivering them tofeeding and stacking apparatus. This may be donein various ways. In the embodiment illustrated, the overlapped sheetsare taken from the two sets of chains 16 by 'two sets of feeding andinterfolding chains 46 and 47, there being shown three chains in eachset. These chains feed the sheets downward and at the sameltimeoscillate, as hereinafter described, to interfold the same. The chains46 and 47 are driven by sprockets on the shafts which drive thesprockets for the feed chains 16, 'so that there is no break in the feedas the sheets pass from one series of chains to the other. At theirlower ends, the chains 47 pass over idlers carried by a cross-shaft, 48,and the chains 46 pass over idlers carried by a crossshaft 49. The shaft49 is suspended from arms 50 and the shaft 42 by arms 51. To oscillatethese chains, the shaft 48 is pivoted at each end in a link 52, which iseccentrically connected to a pinion 53 driven as hereinafter described.The arms 51 carry at their lower end an extension having aslot formedtherein, in which the shaft 49 rides as the chains are swung to and fro;Located just below' the path of these swinging chains are two pair ofsheet-receiving spirals 54. These spirals are of suitable springmaterial secured to vertical shafts 50, the shafts .of

each pair being rotated in opposite direc-- tions, as hereinafterdescribed.

The interfolding of the sheets by the oscillating chains and thereception of the sheets by the spirals is clearly shown in Fig. 3, As

- ready to receive another unit.

' out the air sheets, the continued as they are the chains reach the endof one oscillating stroke and start back on the next they fold theoutside sheet along its crease, thus causing it'to inclose the ends ofthe two opposite oscillation of the chains interfolding the sheetscontinuously as long fed. i-The spirals are so designed and so rotatedthat, as the oscillating'chains make a fold, the first coil advances andpasses over the fold to hold the sheets, until, whenthe chains havereturned to make another fold, the first unit is completely embracedbetween the coils and the top, coil is The invention includes-means for'compressing and packing the interfolded sheets into a compact stack.While this may be' accomplished in various ways,'in the form shown, thespiral feeds are so constructed that the spaces between the coilsgradually diminish so that the coils are closer and ward, thesegraduallyclosing coils squeeze to the sides and complete and flatten the fold,each crease being wiped from the centertoward' the ends, thereby ,uallypressed together to make a compact meshing with a r 106. Pinned to thisshaft, so as to be mid waybetween two of the preserving a true relationof the sheets;

This action of the coils serves to compress. the sheets, face to face,into a compact stack, and at the same time the stack is being madecompact edgewise. It has been found that in interfolding machines theends of the two interfolded sheets are not completely up into the creaseof the overfolding sheet, so that the pack is wider and looser than isdesirable. In the present exemplification of means for making the packcompact, the shafts of the spirals are constructed to act on the unitsedgewise to pack them together, and at the same time to so act withoutbuckling of'the sheets and the like. Near the tops, these shafts are ofa size to allow clearance for the sheets even in the slightly loosecondition noted. -As shown clearly in the left hand spiral of Fig. 2,the shafts are constructed with a frusto-conical portion, so that theclearance gradually lessens and the edges of the sheets are acted on bythe revolving shafts, so that the pack is gradstack.

As these interfolded sheets reach the bottom of the spirals, they dropout by gravity and pass down the curved chute 56 until they assume avertical position and reach the delivery belt 57. It is ordinarilydesirable, when starting the machine, either to fill the chute with pastproduct or hold the newlydelivered sheets untilthe chute is filled, sothat the units first delivered will not separate, It will be noted that,as long as the machine feeds the webs, there is an unbroken delivery ofinterfolded sheets, and this chain may be broken-at such points on thedelivery belt as desired, merely by grasping a bundle of sheets andpulling-out the flap of the last sheet. It may be desirable to removeuniform bundles for use in dispensing apparatus and the like, and theinvention includes means for marking the interfolded units in countedbundles of any desired size 'tOiudicate where the removal is to be made.While this may be accomplished in varipus ways, in the embodiment shown,on the end of shaft 74 which drives two of the spirals is a'bevel gear101 meshing with a similar gear 102 on 'ashaft103 which-has at itsopposite end 'a worm 104 gear 105 on a cross shaft spirals, as clearlyappears in Fig. 1, 1s an arm 107 carrying at; its end a marking pad 108,which -is inke inany suitable manner. As the spirals re volve to feedthe units downward, the arm 107 also revolves and at regular intervalsbrings the marking pad in contact with the edges of twd adjacent units,thus marking the end and beginning of a bundle. It is noted that themarker arm is driven at a fixed speed with respect to thevspiral units,130

so that for every revolution of the marking arm, the spirals haverotated a given number of times, thus advancing a given number of sheetunits. Consequently, the same number of units pass for each revolutionof the arm and the same sized bundles are marked each time. The size ofthe bundles, that is to say the numberof sheet units be- .tween marks,is governed by the speed ratio of any desired size.

that it can be readily discovered if a few.

units become dislodged from a bundle after removal.

The various driven parts of the machine are operated as follows:

A main power shaft 58, which has its bearing in the main frame 9,carries at its hand small cylinder 10. The pinion 63 also \which drivesthe sprockets for left hand end a bevel gear 59 meshing with a similargear 60 on an oblique shaft 61. The latter drives a bevel gear 62, onthe shaft of which is a pinion 63 meshing with a large gear 64 on theshaft.8 of the right hand large cylinder 7. This large gear 64 in turnmeshes with a pinion 65 on the shaft 11 of the right meshes with apinion66 which drives a large gear similar to gear 64 on the shaft ofthe left hand large cylinder, this in turn driving apinion on the shaftof the lefthand small cylinder. The gear for the left hand largecylinder drives a pinion 67, on the shaft of which is a pinion 68driving a gear 69 which meshes with a pinion on shaft 70. This shaft isthe one, before referred to,

chains 16 and the chains 47. On this shaft 70 is also a gear driving agear on shaft 45, which carries the sprockets for the right hand set-ofchains 16 and the chains 46.

From the gear just mentioned on shaft 45,

f I a' train of gears 71 drives the shafts for the sprockets 31 of thesupplemental chains 29. The main drive shaft 53 carries twogears 72meshing with the pinions 53 which operate the links 52 for oscillatingthe swinging chains. The main drive shaft 53 also drives a chain 73which drives a shaft 74. On this shaft "are two miter gears 75 whichmesh with miter gears 76 on the shaft 55 of the two'spiral feeds shownin Fig. 1. Shaft 74,

which also carries a sprocket 77, drives a.

chain 78, which, through a sprocket, drives shaft 79-which carries twomiter gears 80 miishinggwith miter gears 81 onthe shafts .creasing aplurality of webs and cutting the 55 of the other two spiral feeds. Thedelivery belt is driven in any suitable manner, and no further.description is necessary.

It is thought that the operation of the machine will be clear from theforegoing description. It is noted that, due to the general constructionof the device, practically all of the parts are readily accessible. Thelarge cylinders are separated by a substantial distance, the supportingframe is open at the ends and the greater part of the driving gearing isoutside this frame, and the construction which permits the four cams tobe adjusted also permits them to be moved out of the way to give accessto the ends of the four cylinders. It is also noted that, due to theconstruction described, there is substantially no gap in the feed, therebeing a continuous hold on the web ends and sheets, thereby eliminatingfloating and its attendant disadvantages.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relation, means for interfolding the sheets, and a pluralityof rotating spring spirals for receiving said interfolded sheets andfeeding. them away from the folding means.

2. In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relations, means for interfolding the sheets, and a pluralityof spirals for receiving the interfolded sheets and feeding-them awayfrom the folding means, some of the coils of said spirals being closertogether than the others.

3. In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relation, means for interfoldmg the sheets, and a pluralityof 4 spirals for receiving the interfolded sheets and feeding them awayfrom the folding means, the coils of said spirals being closer togetherat the delivery end than at the receiving end.

4; In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relation, means for in-' terfolding the sheets, and aplurality of spirals for receiving the interfoldedsheets and feedingthem away from the folders, the space between the coils of said spiralsgraduallydecreasing. t 5. In combination with apparatus for webs intosheets and bringing the sheetstogthei in overlapped relation, means forinterfolding the sheets, and means for pressing each individualinterfolded unit by a v wiping action, along the folded edge thereof.

6. In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs and.cutting the webs into sheets and brin ng the sheets together inoverlapped re ation, means for interfolding the sheets, and means forpressing each individual interfolded unit, the

pressure being applied from the middle toward each end simultaneously.

7. In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the fwebs into sheets and bringing the sheets togetherinoverlapped relation, means for interfolding the sheets,'a nd means forpress-' ing each individual interfolded unit with gradually increasingpressure.

8. In combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relation, means for interfolding the sheets, and ineans forsubjecting the interfolded sheets to pressure on the edges thereof.

9. In combination with 'ap aratus for creasinga plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets'together inoverlapped relation, means for interfolding the sheets, and means forsubjectlng the edges of the interfolded units to gradually increasingpressure.

10. In combination with apparatus for creasinga plurality of webs andcuttin the webs into sheets and bringing the s eets together inoverlapped relation, means for interfolding the sheets, a lurality ofspirals for receiving the inte olded sheets and feeding them away fromthe interfolding means, and means for subjecting the edges of theinterfolded units to edgewise pressure while assing through saidspirals.

-11. combination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relation, means for interfolding the sheets a plurality offrustoconical members, and means for feeding the interfolded sheets pastsaid members, so as to come in contact therewith.

12. In combination with ap aratus for creasing a plurality of webs ancutting the webs into sheets and bringing the sheets together inoverlapped relation,means for interfolding the sheets, *and a spiralsfor receiving the inter olded s eets and feeding the same away from theinterfolding means, the shafts of said spirals each interfolding thesheets, means luralit of having a frusto-conical portion situatedto'interfolded units, a revolving marker for markin the edges of twoadjacent units, and means 7 or revolving said marker at a given ratio tothe speed of said spirals.

15. The combination w1th a plurality of rotating spirals for feedingsheets, of means,

operated at a given ratio with respect to the speed of said s irals, formarking said sheets to denote bun les of 'ven numerical size.

16. In a sheet inter olding machine, means for feeding the interfoldedunits in separated relatlon, a marker movable into a position to markthe interfolded units while in said feeding means, and means foroperating said marker at a speed in a given ratio to the speed of saidfeeding means. I

17. In a sheet interfolding machine, two

open ended side frames, two cylinders spaced a substantial distanceapart, over which the webs pass in opposite directions, two cylinderscooperating therewith to feed, cut and crease the web's, driving gearsin alinement with said cylinders at one end thereof, cams in alinementwith said cylinders at the other end, and means whereby said cams aremovable out of the wayito give access to the ends of said 0 linder.

18. In com ination with apparatus for creasing a plurality of webs andcutting the webs into sheets and bringing the s eets together inoverlapped relation means for for pressin the interfolded units alongthe edge thereo and means for applying pressure against the foldededges.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names.

GOUVERNEUR e. BROWN. PAUL A. SCHUOHABT.

